Report: RMT Disabled Members' Advisory Committee, 28 January 2019

Equal Rights Sub-committee Report

We welcomed Lee Rundle (National Executive member for the South West region) to the meeting. Lee told us about his experiences as a dyslexic member, as well as reporting on the National Executive's decisions on our resolutions from our meeting in November, which were:

  • that our resolution on Universal Credit has been referred to the Political Sub-committee, which has yet to produce a report on it
  • that in response to our resolution expressing frustration with the slow progress of the union's accessibility audit, the Executive has decided to: conduct a survey of disabled members; contact employers requesting information about disability requirements; write to branches urging them to consider the needs of disabled members when arranging meetings.

General Secretary Mick Cash also reported to the meeting, covering similar issues. There were lots of questions and comments from Committee members to Lee and Mick, including:

  • recommending that the survey focus on access needs (social model) rather than nature of impairment (medical model)
  • the need for urgent action to make union premises and activities more accessible
  • the apparent lack of progress in carrying out union policy to negotiate the creating of equality reps

 

Conferences

RMT Disabled Members' Conference (Plymouth, 27-28 April). We agreed to:

  • invite speakers including: the local Labour MP, Campaign Against Living Miserably, and a local disabled people's campaigning group
  • hold the social event in the conference venue
  • develop a Disabled Workers' Charter at the conference
  • hold various workshops

Committee members were also urged to propose motions to the conference to their branches.

TUC Disabled Workers' Conference (Bournemouth, 21-22 May). For the first time ever, more members have been nominated by branches than our delegate entitlement. So head office will be writing to them all for confirmation that they can attend to determine whether an election is necessary. We have recommended that the union submit a motion on austerity and disability.

Scottish TUC Disabled Workers' Conference (16-17 November)

 

Campaign Plan

The Committee discussed, amended and agreed our plan of activities for the year. You can read this here.

 

Constitution and Standing Orders

We will decide our constitution and standing orders at our conference in April. Head office will provide the current standing orders and constitution, and the conference will be able to amend it before voting on it.

 

Neurodiversity

Delegates reported on:

  • the Labour Party's Autism / Neurodiversity Manifesto and the launch of Neurodivergent Labour
  • Welsh Labour's opposition to an Autism Act for Wales
  • raising neurodiversity issues in Scotland

 

Training

The Committee was informed of forthcoming training courses and reminded that training course may be run in regions.